Car-coupling



(No Model.)

W. H. WELLSTEED.

GAR-GOUPLING. y No. 363,868. Patented May 31, 1887.

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head has a cap, C.. The latter is provided with Nrrnn STATES ATENT Frigo-E.

" CAR-COUPmNc.

SPECIFICATION forming pari: of Letters Patent No. 363,868, dated May 31, 1887.

Application filed March 2Q, l87. Serial No. 231,982. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HENRY WELL` s'rEED, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brampton, in the county of Delta and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Car-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in carcouplings; and it consists'in the peculiar construction and combination of devices that will be more fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of parts of two railwaycars provided with couplings embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a'vertical longitudinal sectional view of my improved coupling. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional view of the same, -taken on the line xof Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line y y of Fig. 2; Fig. 5, an enlarged view of the same. 1

A represents a draw-head attached to the under side of one of the cars and projecting beyond one end thereof in the usual manner. This draw-head is provided with a longitudinal opening, B, and the frontend of the drawa flared opening, D, that communicates with the opening in the draw-head. On the rear side of the cap is a vertical recess, E, the sides.

of which are parallel with eachother and have their lower ends converging toward the bottom of the cap, and thereby forming inclines F.

G represents' a pair of coupling-jaws, which are secured int-he recess E on opposite sides of the openings B and D. The lower ends of the said coupling-jaws are curved toward each other, as at I-I, and on their inner opposing edges, at a suitable distance from their lower ends, are formed offsets or recesses I, thereby forming shoulders K at the upper ends of the said recesses.

L represents dat springs, which have their lower ends secured to the' outer edges of the .coupling-jaws at a suitable distance from the lower ends thereof, and the upper ends of the said springs project outwardly and upwardly from the said jaws and bear against the opposing sides of the recess E. The function of these springs is to normally force the upper other.

On the' front end of the car, to Awhich the .draw-head A is attached, is secured a vertical arm, M, the upper end of which proj ects above ears, between which is pivoted an operatinglever, N.

O represents a ranged between the top of the car and the rear end of the said lever, the function ofthe said spring being to normally raise the rear end of the lever.

P represents a rod, which is attached to and depends from the projecting front end of the lever N. The lower end of the' said rod is bifurcated or divided to form arms R, which are pivoted to openings in thenpper ends of the coupling-jaws G.

It will be observed from the foregoing thatas the spring bears upwardly on the lever N it forces the rod v l? downward, and thereby causes the couplingjaws to be forced downclincd lower ends bear against the inclines F in the lower' sides of the'recess E.

the under side of the opposing car. This drawhcad S is provided with 'a longitudinal opening, through whichextends a coupling-rod, T. The said rod is provided on one side with a series of rack-teeth, U, and has at itsfront vend an enlarged conical head, V, which is adapted to enterthe openings D and B in the draw-head A. The coupling-rod T extends under the car throughout its entire length, so that the ends of` the coupling-rod project beyond the ends of the car. The coupling-rod `is guided and supportedl under the car by means of suitable keepers, XJ

Y represents a vertical shaft, which is journaled near the end of the car to which the draw-head S is attached. The lower end of ,thesaid shaft is provided with a pinion, Z, which meshes with the raclc-teethU of the rod wheel, A', by means of which it may be ro tated, so as to cause the pinion to turn,and thereby move the rod T endwise, so as to cause the headV thereof to be projected from or withdrawn into the draw-head S.

the top of the car, and is bifurcated to form` bearing-spring, which is ar ward in .the draw-head A, so that their in- S represents a d raw-headvhich is secu red on portions ol" the couplingjaws toward each Slol T, and the upper end ofthe shaft has a hand- IOO The' operation ofmy invention is as follows: In order to couple the cars, the shaft Y is turned so as toprojeet the head V from the draw-head S. When the cars come together, the said head V enters the opening D in the cap C and extends between the coupling-jaws G, forcing them apart against the resistance of the springs L until the headVenters the opening B,when thejaws move toward each other as soon as the base of the head V passes beyond them. The spring-actuated jaws thus engage the said head and securely couple the ears together.

In order to uncouple the cars, the lever N is depressed, so as to cause the rod I? to move ,the couplingjaws G upward, and as the inclined lower ends of the said jaws move upward on the inolines F they diverge or move from each other a sufficient distance to clear the base of the head V of the coupling-rod,

and thereby release the said rod and disconnect the cars.

Ifit is desired to let the cars come together without coupli1]g, this may be accomplished by turning the shaft Y so as to withdraw the head V of the coupling-rod into the draw-head S, and thusV prevent the said head V from entering the opening in the draw-head A.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination, in .a car-coupling, of the draw-head A, having the longitudinal opening B, and the vertical recess E, intersecting the said opening, and having the cams Fon its opposing lower sides, with the verticallymovable rod I? and the coupling-jaws G, connected to the said ro'd and working in the recess E, the said conplingjaws having the curved or inclined lower ends, H, to bear opposite sides,.in combination with the verti cally-movable coupling-jaws G, having the inclines H on their lower ends to engage the inclines F, and the springs L to force the said coupling-jaws toward each other, for the purpose set forth, substantially as described.

3. In a car-coupling, thecombination of the draw-head and the longitudinally-movable couplingrod therein, having the enlarged shouldered head V, adapted to be'drawn into or projected from the draw-head, substantially as described.

4. Ina careoupling, the combination of the draw-head, the longitudina|ly-movable coupling-rod T therein, having the enlarged shouldered head V, and provided with the rackteeth U, and the shaft Y, having the pinion Z to engage the said rack-teeth, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto axed my signatn rein presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM HENRY WELLSTEED. llitliesses:

CovELL C. R. RoYoE, F. C. BUCK. 

